The cap hit of $6.667 million per season is justifiable for a 31-year-old of Richards’ pedigree and it’s manageable for the Rangers, who should still have another $3 million to $4 million to work with, exclusive of upcoming new contracts for restricted free agents Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Brian Boyle and Michael Sauer.

Richards did indeed leave some money on the table, believed nearly $10 million overall in choosing to come to New York rather than Toronto, and about $4 million in rejecting an aggressive offer from Calgary, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

The Blueshirts originally offered eight years at $51 million before increasing the offer Friday night to get the nod over the Kings, who were in at nine years, $58.5 million.

But the contract now recedes into the background, unless somehow Richards becomes overwhelmed with the pressure of trying to live up to it. That seems highly unlikely for the 2004 Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup winner who thrived under his previous deal at $7.8 million per.

The addition of Richards, who played the first seven seasons of his career for current Blueshirts coach John Tortorella, will make the Rangers significantly better. Marian Gaborik, who for the first time in his career will have an elite playmaker as his pivot, will be significantly better. The power play, which Richards quarterbacks from the point, will be significantly better.

The attitude, too.

“[Richards] will bring a lot of confidence to our dressing room,” said general manager Glen Sather. “We need a little confidence.”

This is a blue-chip player. This is a blue-chip day for a team that simply did not have enough talent in front of Henrik Lundqvist to compete for a Stanley Cup.

The King’s Court is now more representative.

“It’s going to be a challenge for sure, and [the pressure] is something different,” Richards said. “But if you want to be a great player, it’s something you should relish because what better place is there to perform than Madison Square Garden every night?

“That type of atmosphere is going to push you. I really want the chance to win again. It’s been too long.”

Richards, who said he’s fully recovered from a mid-February concussion that sidelined him for four weeks, is a classic playmaker who recorded 116 assists (and 52 goals) in 152 games the last two seasons. He is sixth among active players with .642 assists per game.

Though a low-key personality, Richards is a leader. He may or may not succeed Chris Drury as captain, but Tortorella made it clear Richards as mentor is as much a part of the job description as finding Gaborik in open ice and putting the puck on the sniper’s tape.

The Rangers spent within CEO Jim Dolan’s means. They took an acceptable cap hit. They got the best guy on the market. They got the guy they wanted. They got the guy they needed.

They got much better.

That’s the bottom line.

*

The Rangers and Predators traded minor league forwards yesterday, with the Blueshirts sending forward Brodie Dupont to Nashville for right wing Andreas Thuresson. Both are restricted free agents with little NHL experience.